Healthography and the Community Connection

Using my experience as a retired water resources planner with the Corps of Engineers in the private sector has been instrumental in helping communities to take advantage of the opportunities that exist to make them more sustainable in the future. This includes assisting communities in developing and implementing risk reduction systems to protect against flooding. Communities that are informed about public health issues are able to explore resources that affect their geography, social, and physical environments. The grassroots efforts of communities on the west bank of St. John the Baptist Parish have been identifying and implementing strategies using existing amenities to develop multi-use paths to link the myriad of historical features within the community, which serve as alternate transportation arteries linking communities along the route. When implemented, this new useable linkage will facilitate community cohesion and serve as a catalyst for linking many of the existing community amenities into a system that has significant potential for further community development. This will eventually lead to healthier people and a healthier community as people use the multi-use trail and it becomes part of their community.